Love Unites Us
by Kanna-Ophelia
Summary: Kimber and Stormer's beautiful friendship runs into a little hitch, mostly because Kimber has been trying a little too hard to get hitched to too many men. Kimber and Stormer pairing, set soon after the "Hollywood Jem" episodes.
1. It's only the beginning

Eric could never decide whether Stormer was the most or least troublesome of those most troublesome (and lucrative) charges, the Misfits. She was possibly less expensive to maintain than the other girls. At any rate, she was slightly less likely to be the first to trash a television studio or throw a random orphan into the pool at a charity benefit, although that depended on how badly she wanted to please Pizzazz at any given time. She produced lucrative pop-rock gems on demand, and had never seemed quite to catch on to the concept of writer's royalties. She had a tender conscience, which could be inconvenient, but reasonably easy to soothe. All in all, buried deep in the finest print of the small print of the business agreements that were his heart, Eric had quite an affection for Stormer.

On the other hand, none of the other girls had ever quit the Misfits to cut soppy rock ballads with a Hologram.

Oh, they had quit, naturally. If tearing up a contract or two was cause for serious dislike, then Eric would have to admit that Jetta was his favourite Misfit and that letting Pizzazz recruit a greedy, treacherous British con-artist hadn't been a deadly mistake. Jetta was loyal enough; she stuck to the Misfits, or at least to Pizzazz, like the leech she was. Eric suspected it was because Jetta couldn't afford Pizzazz to have Daddy cancel her visa, or she would spend the rest of her life playing gay bars in Bristol as the ex- and least famous Misfit, but it couldn't be denied that she'd not once thrown in her sax.

In general, Eric was resigned to the Misfits throwing tantrums, vanishing briefly and turning up again with demands for more money and more attention (although Eric wasn't certain that anything short of enslaving an entire population could get Pizzazz more money or attention). It was one of the hazards of managing a group of spoiled, overindulged brats who spent far too much time letting Clash feed their out-sized egos. If the Misfits weren't the second-highest earners for Stingers Sound, he'd have weaselled out of their contracts years ago. Regretfully, because he had a sneaking fondness for his first and major protégées, but business was business.

No, the difference was that Roxy had quit on the grounds of a bruised ego and a lot of cash, while Pizzazz had quit because of a misguided crush on Riot, both perfectly resolvable issues. All those two really wanted was even more money and pampering, sorry, 'appreciation' than the excess they already had. Only Stormer had actually gone over to the enemy entirely, and left present the threat that she would do so again, if pushed. He'd never have thought it of malleable little Mary Roberts, but she had the heart of a traitor.

Misguided crush... There was something nagging at the corner of Eric's brain, some little worry, if he could only get at it. But it was understandable that Pizzazz had fallen for the only rock star with a bigger ego than her own, the existence of which (and presence in his life and career) was a sort of negative miracle that convinced Eric that whether or not God was real, there was certainly a Devil. Stormer, like the secretly soppy girl she was, had only wanted a 'real friend', and had managed to pick on the only Hologram weak enough for Eric to regularly manipulate. It was pathetic, really. He was almost sorry for them.

He pushed the problem from his mind and went to have a chat with his accountant about what to do about the ridiculously existent amount of tax Stinger Sound was paying.

After all, he congratulated himself on having fixed the Kimber problem, for good. Stormer was never running back to _her_.

Kimber could never get over the excited, guilty feeling that by phoning Stormer she was doing something very, very naughty, for which she'd get in trouble at any moment. Sneaking away to write love songs and perform in some run-down nightclub with Stormer had been even more thrilling than facing a packed auditorium, and some of that sweaty-palmed anticipation still touched her every time she dialled the Misfits Mansion.

Of course, Jerrica had spoiled her fun a bit, by taking Stormer to her heart and even offering her a place in the Holograms. It somehow wasn't as exciting when your goody-goody big sister/lead singer/dictator general liked your bad girl best friend. Trust Jerrica to spoil everything. Still... phoning Stormer was still an act of rebellion. She was a Misfit, of course. And - well, phoning Stormer was just a very daring thing to do, anyway.

Part of the adventure was that Stormer didn't have her own personal phone line at the Misfits Mansion, so Kimber never quite knew who would be on the other end of the line. She sometimes wondered why. Of course, Kimber didn't have a personal phone line in her room, because that would mean she could talk to people without Jerrica and her adopted big sisters interfering - and, yeah, there was something about needing money for the Starlight Foundation and not personal luxuries, or something. Pizzazz didn't have a brood of orphans to support, so it must have just been her determination to oversee every inch of Stormer's life and interfere in all her plans and friendships.

Sometimes Kimber suspected that the only significant difference between Pizzazz and Jerrica was their dress budget.

She held her breath and dialled. The line wasn't the main Misfits Mansion number, which only reached servants and secretaries. But it did run through to the Misfits' favourite chilling-out room, where there was a one-in-four chance of getting hold of Stormer. Pizzazz didn't stoop to answering phones, not wanting to run the risk of having to speak with an ordinary human being, but Clash was only too happy to help.

"What d'yer want?"

Oh, dear. Kimber took a deep breath, and tried very hard to disguise her voice. "Could I please speak to Stor-"

"Look, ducky, do yourself a failure and get lost. No one here wants to waste their time talking to a Hologram, all right? Oh, and congratulations on your wedding - or should I be congratulating the ex-groom on his escape? I hope you got some money back on the dress!"

There was a click, and Kimber sighed into the dial tone. A girl made one little mistake like changing her mind at the altar, and people never let it go. Surely the Misfits had something else to torment her with by now; it had been nearly a fortnight since the wedding! Kimber knew Stormer would never be so insensitive. She was a lovely, sensitive girl, even if she was a Misfit, and Kimber looked forward to crying on a sympathetic shoulder and having consolatory ice cream sundaes together.

Jetta had at least said enough for Stormer to figure out who had called. That might be a good thing, if Stormer managed to call back. On the other hand, if Pizzazz had been in the room, Kimber's chances of talking to Stormer had just diminished to nil.

Kimber tried to ignore Aja and Jerrica exchanging concerned glances and sat down and pointedly turned her attention to the cartoons some of the Starlight Girls had managed to sneak in among their daily diet of MTV and improving documentaries. There was always the danger that one of those two would cross over and try to lend sisterly sympathy, and Kimber wasn't in the mood. They would try to be understanding at her, and no one understood Kimber, no one at all.

Except Stormer.

Besides, all she had to do was wait until Jetta got bored, and then try again. Judging by the usual attention span of the Misfits, just after the next ad break would do it. Kimber snuggled up to her littlest foster sisters and concentrated on the Road Runner.

It was only when Jerrica started herding the youngest Starlight Girls to bed that Kimber realised she'd been distracted into reveries by the haunting image of Bugs Bunny in a wedding dress. Her own dress had been much, much prettier, and had been much more flattering - with a much better figure to be flattered than Bugs, if she did think so herself. It was a pity that her wedding was such an embarrassing memory, because being surrounded by her sisters and Raya, wearing a beautiful dress and for once being the centre of attention, even with Jem (or her hologrammatic presence) there, had been utterly dreamy. The flowers, the dress, the music... why should a niggling detail like being unable to make up her mind which groom she wanted spoil absolutely everything? It had been a fabulous party, and it wasn't as if either of the boys had really minded all that much if she'd been a teensy bit indecisive when it came to the point. No one cared that Bugs never really went through with his weddings.

Kimber heaved a wistful sigh. She really had loved the whole being a bride thing. It was just a pity that a groom had to be involved at all. It would be so much easier if she could just marry Stormer or something.

It was a pity that girls didn't marry girls - although Stormer really would pick out the most awesome wedding dress. Kimber always secretly envied the Misfits for having Tommy Watts as their designer. Shana was fantastic, of course, and so was Regine, but they had some kind of fusty old-fashioned prejudice against zebra print and leopardskin.

They'd look outrageous together, Kimber in her silk gown trimmed with pink roses, and Stormer in a white leather minidress...

Kimber's daydreaming was interrupted as Jerrica carefully lifted the sleepy Terri out of Kimber's arms, giving her a kind smile as she did so.

"Why don't you give Stormer another call? Sometimes these things take time."

Kimber nodded, aware she was pouting a little. She had no idea why it irritated her so much when Jerrica was so sweet to her. The girl was so relentlessly nice. And pretty, and talented... And cheating on her boyfriend with Riot while she tricked Rio into cheating on her, with herself. Kimber consoled herself with the fact that she really wasn't the most mixed-up Benton sister, all things considered.

It wasn't as if Kimber was the only one to cross lines. Aja practically had an almost-Misfit boyfriend too.

Too? Kimber frowned a little. Aja and Craig's on-off relationship had nothing to do with her pure and beautiful friendship with Stormer. Well... beautiful, anyway. There was no point in being best friends with a Misfit if she wasn't a little bit wild.

She was almost cross as her finger sharply turned the phone dial. Why didn't Stormer sense Kimber needed her feelings soothed and answer the phone to do some soothing?

"Hello, Misfit Mansion!"

Kimber recognised the breathless pride with which the address was announced, and felt a little better. Constance Montgomery was a constant thorn in the Hologram's side, and Kimber's sympathies were automatically with her cousin, but she wasn't too bad, really. At least she wasn't Roxy. And she was pretty easy to manipulate; after all, Jerrica had insisted that all Clash really wanted, deep in her scheming heart, was to belong. And Jerrica had an irritating tendency to be right.

"Clash, don't hang up or say anything! Please." Kimber closed her eyes and prayed. When the silence was unbroken, she sought the right words. "Clash, I really, really need to speak to Stormer. No, don't say anything! Clash, you know Stormer's my friend," she wheedled. "Stormer would be really, really happy if you let her know I'm on the phone - without letting Pizzazz know." Kimber could hear a but forming, and rushed on. "She'd be really pleased with you if you help m - us. Really, really pleased. She'll owe you big time."

For a long moment Kimber thought Clash would either hang up or go to fetch Stormer. Finally, her voice came coldly down the line. "So will you."

"Yes - yes, I will!" Kimber tried to ignore the sudden cold feeling in her stomach. "I'll pay you back, I promise."

"And I'll collect; I promise that. Okay, hang on. I'll get her."

There was a long enough pause for Kimber to start to seriously worry - and pout. What was Clash's deal, anyway? Anyone would have thought that the long bus trips when Kimber and "Sarah" had painted each other's toenails had been some kind of illusion! Kimber bitterly wondered if she should have had Raya talk to the ungrateful cow for her, anyway; surely saving a girl from a rampaging tiger suggested some kind of bond between them.

There was a noisy clatter of the receiver being picked up. "Hi."

Stormer didn't seem particularly enthusiastic; Kimber figured that some of the other Misfist must be in the room. Naturally she was overjoyed to hear from her best friend in the world.

"Stormer! It's so good to hear your voice. Listen, could you meet up with me? We could go get milkshakes tomorrow, or -" Kimber checked the clock. It was well past nine-thirty, but presumably the Misfits stayed up all night partying and Stormer would think it was silly if Kimber thought it was bedtime. "You could come over now, if you want. Or - I could meet you at a night club. It'll be like old times."

"I don't think so. I'm busy."

"But - Stormer, I want to see you!" Kimber wailed.

"So what?"

"_Stormer!_"

"If you wanted to see me so bad, why didn't you ask me to your stupid wedding?"

"I _did_! I even asked you to be a bridesmaid!"

"Oh." That was all Stormer said, but Kimber could feel the doubt. She rushed on,

"Eric must've intercepted the invitation. Or Pizzazz. Oh, Stormer, I'm sorry! Its probably better you didn't come anyway - it was a total disaster. I can't believe I was trying to marry Jeff when I really wanted Sean, only not really because -"

"Kimber, I really could care less about your boyfriends. Don't you dare come running to me when you've got in trouble by behaving like a - like a complete - tramp! Next time, maybe the boys can take turns like Jem and Jerrica do with Rio."

Kimber, aghast, could feel the shocked sobs welling up in her chest. How could Stormer, her sweet Stormer, say something so outrageously horrid? She could hear the other Misfits; raucous laughter in the background, adding the final touch to her nightmare. "But - St-Stormer - it really wasn't my fault! I'm just too young to make a commitment to a serious relationship!"

"So that's your excuse, is it?" Stormer sounded close to tears herself, for some reason. "Is that why you went back to the Holograms, too! And back to Sean, and Jeff, and - who knows who else? Because you're too young to be serious?"

Kimber blinked away her tears. "But - Stormer - that's not the same kind of thing at all!"

"I guess not. It doesn't matter anyway. Never speak to me again - never, ever."

The phone clattered down one more time, and Kimber burst into noisy tears. Skilfully evading her foster sisters, she took the stairs two at a time and fled to her sanctuary, to cry her eyes out and confide to the only person who really understood her, now Stormer was acting completely insane.

"Oh, Diary," she sighed, absently doodling lightning bolts on the tears-and-angst stained pages, "I just don't understand why Stormer is so upset. And now I'm in Clash's debt for no reason at all! Why is Stormer being so _mean_?"

The diary had no answer. Normally, living with Jerrica, that was one of the nicest things about it. But now, her heart aching more painfully than it ever had over a boy, Kimber kind of wished it had.

Stormer turned bitterly away from the phone. Her fellow Misfits were laughing and jeering, but she didn't particularly feel like joining in. She just wanted to crawl away, cling to her favourite teddy bear, and cry her eyes out. Sometimes, the only friend a girl could trust was her teddy.

She had something else to do first. She dialled the number of a certain downtown penthouse, anger making the phone's dial whirl. Then she yelled at the secretary a bit until she decided she was more afraid of the Misfits than her boss, who had obviously left messages that he wasn't in to anyone, especially Pizzazz.

"You better have a damn good explanation, Eric Raymond!" she snarled, when he was finally put through,

"Stormer, darling, I have no idea what you're so angry about," Eric oozed in his oiliest tones, which Stormer figured meant he had a very good idea indeed. Unless he'd been doing something else rotten to her, which she wouldn't put past him.

"Why didn't I get invited to Kimber's wedding?"

Eric didn't miss a beat. "I warned you that the Holograms can't be trusted and you'd just get hurt, Stormer. Kimber's just like her sister - selfish, ungrateful, untrustworthy-" His voice gained sincerity, and obsessive hatred, with every word.

Stromer wasn't in the mood to be sidetracked onto the Eric-Jerrica vendetta. "She said she invited me to be bridesmaid!"

"And you believe a Hologram over me?" Hurt pulsed down the phone line. "After all I've done for you?"

"Yes!"

"It wasn't good for your public image," Eric said crisply, abandoning deceit for the moment. "A Misfit crying at a wedding like a rejected girlfriend - no. And you should be grateful, because the further away you were from that public relations mess, the better!"

Stormer was brutally aware that she was going to cry properly, any second, and she didn't want Eric to hear her. The words 'rejected girlfriend' echoed in her head. "You interfere with my mail again, and I'm quitting! And I'll call my brother up and say you fired me! Remember that, Eric Raymond!" she said thickly, and resorted once again to the usual Misfit method of ending calls, which was to hang up in his ear.

She turned, pushing down sobs, to face a group of girls who hadn't even bothered to pretend not to be gleefully listening. They'd probably know all about what Eric had done, she bitterly thought, and they hated her brother Craig to a woman, but that didn't mean they didn't love hearing Eric get told off.

"That's what you get for hanging around with a Hologram. Told you she'd break your heart in two."

"Shut up, Pizzazz!" Stormer turned and ran from the room, in desperate search of her teddy bear.


	2. Happy endings

Stormer's head and eyes ached with crying. Some of the sick feeling in her stomach was hunger, and she knew it was time for dinner to be served, but she didn't dare face the others with a swollen face and reddened eyes. Maybe later, if she heard the roar of the lime-green Cadillac, she would sneak down to the kitchens and beg something calorific and comforting off the servants.

Not ice cream, though.

She glared at the picture lying facedown on her bedside table. She'd lifted it and looked at it four times already that evening, and the more she told herself to leave it alone, the more she felt the compulsion to check. It wasn't as if the picture would have changed; she and Kimber still pressed their cheeks together, laughing, and they still looked glowing, happy in each other's company, as if nothing and no one would part them.

The picture had been by Stormer's bedside table ever since a fan had snapped it for her, and she'd woken up next to it morning after morning until it was ingrained on her imagination. It was her fault, really, she thought bitterly. Maybe she shouldn't have taken a nightclub snapshot so seriously - that was worse than taking the publicity shoots for Back to Back, when they'd run along the beach hand-in-hand at sunset, as proof that they were special to each other. She'd done that too, of course. She had always tended to let her imagination run away with her.

It was painfully clear that Kimber only cared about Stormer when she needed her, either as a weapon to use against Jerrica and the Holograms or when she needed some shoulder to cry on. Stormer was sick of being everyone's sap, she told herself. Kimber was worse than the other Misfits, who at least were straightforward about taking advantage of her. But...

She sighed and reached out for the picture again, just to check their joined hands and look for clues in Kimber's deep blue eyes, one more time.

There was a tentative knock on the door, and Stormer guiltily slammed the picture back face down, before realising that it couldn't be Roxy, Jetta or Pizzazz, who wouldn't bother to knock.

"What?" she asked, wiping the back of her hand across her face. "On second thoughts, get lost!" One of the things she had picked up from the other Misfits was a disregard for the conventions of manners, and anyone who bothered to knock probably wasn't important enough to talk to, anyway.

"It's me - Clash. Let me in?"

Definitely not important enough. "I said get lost!"

"Please, Stormer? I'm just worried about you!"

At the note of distress in Clash's voice, Stormer instantly melted. Here she was, being mean to the only person who had cared enough to check on her. "Oh, okay, if you really have to."

Clash came nervously into the room, looking around with wide eyes. She had never, as far as Stormer remembered, been admitted to the inner sanctum of a Hologram bedroom before, and she looked as if she didn't know whether to be awed at its grandeur or scared by the fact that Stormer was actually pretty tidy, at least for a Misfit. After a general mutiny, none of the servants ever stepped foot in Roxy's room, and rumour whispered that an entire band's worth of bass guitars had gone missing there.

By the time Clash reached the bed, her gaze had come back to Stormer, who had just realised too late that she was clutching a very un-Misfit teddy bear and was trying to conceal it under one of her U-shaped pillows. Clash glanced at Mr Teddy, but was obviously on a mission of mercy and, in any case, didn't have the overbearing confidence that would have made a real Misfit jeer; Clash was fine with jeering at outsiders, but "her" Misfits were different.

Stormer scrunched up on the bed a little to let Clash sit on the edge, but closed her eyes, not really willing to acknowledge her. She was already regretting the softness that had allowed the other girl in. Her misery was her own problem, and a Misfit shouldn't show weakness to a mere fan, no matter how favoured and useful.

"She's not worth it, Stormer," Clash said, but Stormer ignored it. She'd heard it all before; Pizzazz, Jetta and Roxy could get quite eloquent on the subject of Kimber's unworthiness as a friend. It didn't change the fact that Kimber had been the one person in all the world Stormer thought she could depend on to always care about her. It certainly didn't take away the ache at the pit of her stomach. She pouted a little, and kept her eyes firmly closed.

As a result, she didn't know she was being kissed until she'd had time to register the pressure on her mouth. She had been kissed far less often than the media would believe of a Misfit, and the lips pressed against hers and trying gently to draw them apart had never before been sticky with thickly applied lipstick, but once she'd felt that sensation it was impossible to mistake. It was gentle, and determined, and definitely not chaste; it was her first kiss from a girl - and it wasn't Kimber. Her eyes flew open as she pulled back.

Clash's eyes weren't as deep and velvety as Kimber's, but they were blue, and shining like stars. "How about it, Stormer? The Holo-brat's no fun. You'd be much better off with me than with a beanpole like that." She slowly drew a glitter-painted nail down the side of Stormer's face, pouting a little and licking her lips.

Seeing all this desperate attempt at sophisticated seduction, Stormer felt a little like she was going to kick a puppy that was trying really, really hard to please her. For all her Misfit toughness, her stiletto pumps never forcibly came into contact with puppies, let alone ones that were holding her slippers in their mouths and frantically wagging their tails at her. She was far more likely to guiltily cuddle them in a safe place, far away from paparazzi or other Misfits.

She suspected, however, that cuddling this particular puppy might turn out to be a bad idea in the long run. After all, encouraging her to think of herself as a de-facto Misfit hadn't been very good for Clash.

"Cut it out, will you?" She pushed Clash's hand away, as gently as possible.

"But - I could be really good for you, Stormer. I - I love you." Clash lifted her chin, defiantly.

"Oh, give it up, Clash! If Pizzazz or Roxy would give you the time of day, would you even be here? I'm sick of being the next best thing! And you deserve better than that, too. "

She saw Clash's face crumple, and half of her wanted to just put her arms around her, and settle for a cute friend who would adore her. But she knew she was right, and suddenly, overwhelmingly, she was aware that what she'd tried to ignore all along was true: she wanted Kimber. Wanted her in any way, even if it meant being a disposable friend who would be cast aside every time a cute boy looked in Kimber's direction, even if it meant watching her marry a soulless "teen idol" like Sean or a brash idiot like Jeff, so long as sometimes she got to spend time with her and have some little piece of her heart. Most of all, though, she wanted Kimber to kiss her the way Clash had. And it was useless - Kimber had called her up when she needed her, and Stormer had ruined everything. She'd lost her best friend because she'd wanted more, and now she had nothing and no one.

"I do love you," Clash said, mutinously. "I love _all_ of you."

"Oh, Clash! One day, you'll meet the right girl, one who likes you back. But she's not me. Oh, just get lost, Clash!" Stormer buried her face in her pillow. "Kimber's never going to talk to me again, and I want to be alone."

"I _do_ love you. And I'll prove it!"

Stormer heard her door open and close, very carefully, but she didn't look up. She just hugged her teddy, and wondered what the other girls' reaction would be if their next single was a tender ballad about unrequited love. Possibly, there was a way to disguise a broken heart as an anthem about Pizzazz grinding her stilettos into Jem's face. It might be worth a try.

It might relieve her feelings a little, but she doubted it.

Kimber had never been so depressed, not when she'd been shipwrecked on a desert island, not when Zipper had tied her up and left her in an erupting volcano, not even when Sean had wanted to see if she could stick to just one boyfriend for a bit before they got married.

Stupid Misfits. They were all alike - unreliable, obnoxious and just plain nasty. Stormer had just seemed like the sweetest, prettiest, most fun Kimber had ever met. Deep down, a Misfit was a Misfit.

She could hear the phone ringing downstairs, but she ignored it. It would either be for Jerrica or for Jem - either way, Kimber's sister hogged the phone.

There was a tap on the door, before Ashley popped her head in, not bothering to wait to be invited. "Phone for you!"

Kimber's heart leapt for a moment; then she went back to pouting. "It's probably just Sean. I'm not in the mood."

"Nah, it's a girl," said Ashley, approvingly. She was going through a stage of hating boys. At least, Jerrica said it was a stage. Kimber wasn't so sure.

She bit her lip. It wouldn't be Stormer, but... "Okay. I'm coming."

She tried not to hurry down the stairs, with the result that she moved so slowly that Ashley got impatient and shoved her along, chanting "Hurry up, slow coach! Hurry up, hurry up, slow slow coach!" As a result, Kimber was somewhat breathless when she picked up, wishing again that she could have less than six other girls, plus Rio, all blatantly listening as she answered.

"I've called to collect."

"Oh -"

"Jem and the Holograms" - Kimber was quite impressed by the way Clash managed to sound as if she was swearing - "are performing tonight, right? Some big charity do?"

"Yeah..." Alarm bells went off in Kimber's head. "For scholarships for girls with disfiguring elbows. I wrote a song."

"I need a ticket for a friend."

"It's sold out! And I won't do anything to hurt the concert! Those girls need the money!"

"Relax. I won't do anything to hurt the concert, I promise. My friend's a big fan of yours - she's got really bad taste."

"Oh." Kimber thought for a moment, staring into space, hand covering the mouthpiece. Seven pairs of eyes stared curiously back at her. She should talk to Jerrica, she knew. The concert was really important, and Jerrica would know whether she should trust Clash - Jem had defeated Clash and the Misfits, every time. She should humble herself, and beg them for help, again...

"Kimber, is there something I can do to help you?" Jerrica, who had decided to be Jem for this particular date with Rio, looked at Kimber with gentle - and authoritarian - concern.

That settled it. "No. Everything's fine!" Kimber snapped, and turned back to the phone. "I'll find you a seat," she promised. She'll make it up to Astral later.

She just hoped she was making the right decision. She hadn't been very good at them, lately.

* * *

Stormer, her masses of bright blue hair bundled under a scarf, dark glasses over her eyes and a dark coat over her rather fetching little tropical number, perched uneasily on her seat and tried to watch the concert. It was unnerving, being surrounded by Holograms fans like this. She kept expecting one of them to denounce her as a Misfit. She'd been nervous ever since Clash turned up to collect her, wearing 'Jem!'-emblazoned overalls, her purple locks hidden under a short brown wig and checked kerchief.

She tried to quell her nerves by focussing on the concert. The Misfits really could do with a drummer, she realised, as she watched Raya. But the Holograms really could do with a lead singer who could hold a high note without screeching, she mentally added, with a little more loyalty. Jem looked pretty, even in that dreadful gold and fur outfit, and there was something impressive in her earnest determination to do good for under-privileged elbow-hampered girls, but Pizzazz could out-sing her any day. Shana was terrific, though, and Aja looked fantastic out there, playing up to Jem for all she was worth. While Kimber...

...it was no good. Stormer really wasn't interested in anyone else. Kimber whirled from one keyboard to the next, long fuchsia hair flying. She'd worn that pants suit with the roses when she and Stormer had been playing together, and she always looked particularly pretty in it. She was smiling and singing, but did she look a little pale and strained? Or was that just wishful thinking? She probably didn't care less. Stormer must have been crazy to agree to Clash's plan.

The lights suddenly went out on the stage, and the music fell silent, Jem's voice trailing a little after the others. Stormer could hear the audience murmuring in consternation, rising to their feet as she scrambled onto her seat. She could back out now, slip away in the darkness but... then she'd never know.

A spotlight fell on her and she blinked, dazzled and blinded. She pulled her hair out of the scarf, tossed away her dark glasses, and shrugged off her coat, as her vision adjusted to the sudden light. She could hear the noise of the crowd around her, as she was identified. If this didn't come off, she'd be lynched.

"Stormer!" If Clash had done her job, there was no way for Jem's voice to be projected across the stadium, but it was, as was her suspicion and outrage. "What are you Misfits up to _this_ time?"

Stormer fumbled with the portable microphone that Clash had assured her would be linked into the stadium speakers. Sure enough, her voice echoed out. "It's not the Misfits. It's just me. I - I have something to say to Kimber."

Right on cue, a single spotlight lit up the stage, illuminating Kimber alone.

"What - what is it, Stormer?" Kimber's voice was magnified, too. She looked nervous, but - hopeful. Her blue eyes were wide. Stormer took courage. After all, what was the worst that could happen? She'd make a fool of herself in front of a few hundred, possibly a few thousand when the television audience was taken into account, people. Public failure and humiliation were nothing new. She was a Misfit.

"Kimber- I want you to know, I want everyone to know, that I'm in love with you. Please, please don't try to marry anyone else. I love you."

Kimber seemed frozen with shock. Stormer stood and waited - there was nothing else to do, now. Her heart hammered and her skin iced over with cold sweat. The crowd was in uproar, but all Stormer was conscious of was Kimber's beautiful face, the light slowly dawning on it.

"I'm in love with you too, Stormer." Kimber's voice faltered a little, but her chin lifted proudly. "I guess I always was - I just didn't realise what it was. Can you forgive me?"

Stormer couldn't find the words, but as the crowd parted between them, just like in the very best movies, she found she didn't need them.

* * *

The Misfits never watched Jem and the Holograms perform on television; they obviously couldn't care less about what a group of losers like that did. Therefore, there _definitely_ wasn't a group of stunned women on the leather couch in Pizzazz's favourite playroom, watching one of their own seize Kimber Benton in a fierce embrace.

Eric rocked back and forth in his chair, head in his hands. "I'm going to kill her, I'm going to kill her, I'm going to kill her."

There was a long silence and then, unexpectedly, Roxy said, "Get over it, Eric. What century are you living in, anyway?"

"What?" He stared at her, aghast and betrayed, although he wasn't really sure why he felt that way, given the Misfits contrariness. If he'd expressed himself delighted for Stormer, they would probably have planned to tar and feather her.

"Sure, the kid's a beanpole goody-goody, but who really cares?" Pizzazz tossed her neon head. "So's Stormer. As long as we don't have to hang out with them and watch them be soppy - yech."

"Cheer up, ducky." Jetta patted his back, almost managing to extract his wallet in the process. "It worked for David Bowie, didn't it?"

Eric glared at her on principle, but the tension in his shoulders, if not his grip on his personal belongings, started to relax. One thing was certain - no one in that stadium was looking at_ Jem_ at that moment. He'd make sure Stormer was still a Misfit. And money couldn't buy publicity like _that._

And best of all - Jerrica was probably crying her eyes out at right that moment.

* * *

Eric beamed. Maybe Stormer wasn't such a bad Misfit, after all.

Clash slipped from the stadium, shedding her stage crew gear as she went. She'd shown Stormer, after all - she'd sacrificed her own happiness for love. Not only had it been the scheme of all schemes to pull off, but she'd made Stormer happy. It was really noble, she told herself, blinking back tears, to prove that she would do anything for a Misfit, even send her into the arms of another woman. She really_ was_ their greatest fan. She just wished she had someone around to appreciate this. Times like this, a girl would be grateful even for the company of Cousin Video.

Maybe it was time to go back home to Daddy for a bit. Clash didn't think she could stand to see Stormer hanging all over an insipid goody-goody like Kimber. It was so utterly unfair and uncool. There was finally proof that a Misfit liked girls, and even she didn't want Clash. It was worse, somehow, than just hanging on and hoping and tell herself that, if it wasn't for the tragedy that they were all straight, Clash would have a real chance...

Occupied by her own thoughts, she stumbled into a girl who was busily spray painting the wall at the back of the stadium.

"Hey, watch it!" Clash snarled.

"You watch it!" snapped the girl, tossing back a long golden mane. "Are you like totally clumsy or something?"

Valley girl, Clash thought with the fine dismissiveness of a small-town girl making it in the city. She started to turn away, when she was interrupted by a squeal.

"Like, oh my God, I know you! You're a Misfit!"

At the magic words, Clash hesitated, then turned back. She hadn't paid attention to the graffiti before; now she realised that the stranger had been carefully painting a Misfits logo over a gigantic Jem poster. "Yeah? And?"

"I _totally_ worship you!" The girl clasped her hands together in excitement. "I'm your biggest fan!"

Clash looked at her more carefully. The girl had a mass of blonde hair, that was to be expected, but her paint-splattered tights and red vinyl mini were, well, cool, and her face was adorned with bright abstract makeup. Her light blue eyes were very large, and lovely - and shining with adoration.

"I'm not really a Misfit," she admitted reluctantly. "But I'm their biggest fan."

The light in the girl's eyes didn't waver for even a second. "Like, duh. You're Clash, right? You're the one they let hang out with them and everything? The one who pretended to be Jem for, like, ever? You're _totally_ cool! I can't believe I've really met you! And you're way hot, too! I have a whole scrapbook of pictures of you!"

The corner of Clash's mouth turned up a little. Valley girl or not, the little graffiti artist didn't seem too bad. "I practically live at the Misfits Mansion," she confided.

"You're the luckiest girl in the world," sighed the other girl. "Set designing for the Misfits is, like, totally the dream of my life." She glanced down for a moment, and blushed a little. "Would you like to go get a soda or something? I'd, like, really like to get to know you better. If - if that's your kind of thing? Girls, I mean. I know I'm totally assuming here, but -" There was a mixture of nervousness and eagerness in her expression that set off resonances in Clash's head.

The corner of Clash's mouth rose still further, until it became a definite grin. _One day, you'll meet the right girl, one who likes you back. _"Why not? What's your name, anyway?"

The other girl slipped her arm into Clash's, and Clash felt a kind of poignant, twanging thrill at the touch. "Graphix."

Clash reached up her free hand, and touched soft blonde hair. "Cool name, Graphix. I think we'll get along just fine."

Perhaps tonight would be a good night, after all.

* * *

Backstage, Stormer was dizzy from kissing. Once Kimber took hold of a new idea, she really took hold of it. Although maybe her dizziness was from pure happiness, and the sweet miracle of Kimber in her arms, trading sweet kisses. Kissing Kimber was entirely unlike kissing any man had been, or being kissed by Clash - no one else's kisses had seemed to tug at her heart as well as her lips. Stormer felt wrapped up in a golden, melting glow.

"I guess that explains why I didn't really want to go through with marrying Sean or Jeff," Kimber said eventually, snuggling against Stormer's shoulder. "I knew something wasn't right."

Stormer's arms tightened around her. The last thing she wanted to think about was Kimber nearly marrying someone else. "You wanted me, right?" she asked, a little fiercely.

"Yes. Oh, Stormer. Jerrica's going to kill me." Kimber didn't seem entirely displeased at the thought. She giggled a little. "A girl - and a Misfit!"

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry!" Stormer bit her lip. Jerrica had been so kind to her; she wanted her to be happy that she and Kimber were together. Probably too much to ask, though, given that the Hologram's squeaky-clean image had probably been more damaged in the last hour than by anything else that Misfits had ever pulled at a Jem concert.

"Oh, she'll get over it. She always does." There was a knock on the door, and Kimber sighed. "I'm never alone. Okay, come in!"

The girls watched in some trepidation as Jem and her supporting Holograms trooped in.

"Um, how was the rest of the concert?" Kimber asked, a little guiltily.

"It was fine. We seemed to be missing our keyboard player, though," Aja added sharply.

The girls started to stammer apologies, but oddly enough, the Holograms were smiling. "It doesn't matter," Shana said. "The audience had enough excitement."

"Jem made a wonderful speech about tolerance and love and how straight and gay should join hands together to march towards a better future," Raya added, gazing with hero worship at her lead singer. "It made me cry. And then we sang _Love Unites Us_, and the audience joined in."

"You - you did?" Kimber sat up straighter. "Really?"

Jem nodded, looking as serious as a pink-haired woman wearing enough glitter and gold to dress the cast of Dynasty could. "It may take some getting used to, but - " She nodded bravely. "Welcome to the family, Stormer."

Kimber detached herself from Stormer's arms, and flung herself on Jem. "_Outrageous_! You're the best sister ever!"

Stormer looked from one to the other of them, then at the other Holograms, who were looking slightly aghast, her mind working fast. It was true that she'd seen very little of Jem during her friendship with Kimber, and a lot of Jerrica, but she'd assumed that Jem hadn't quite been able to bring herself to support a Misfit. And now Jerrica was nowhere to be seen. "The family... _sister_? I thought_ Jerrica_ was your sister."

Kimber looked at her over Jem's shoulder. "Um... oops?"

"KIMBER!" the remaining Holograms wailed.

"Aw, who cares? We have something a lot more serious to discuss."

"What is it, Kimber?" Jem asked, a little warily, probably because Stormer was looking hard from one to the other other them, working on certain conclusions.

"Do I get another wedding dress?"


End file.
